The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-04
W Hal WAS IL!
The Chief Justices Ugly Present.
A Mysterious Loaded Package
Found in His Mail Yesterday.
The Anarchists Concluding to Beg
the Governor for Mercy.
Mrs. Parsons Makes a Sensation
on the Streets of Chicago.
strenuous Efforts Being Put Forth by
the Friends OF the Condemned Men
to Induce the Governor
to Intervene.

WASuISGToN, Nov. 3.--An attempt was
made tonight either to kill or MAIN Chief
Justice Waite, Of the United States SUI
preme court, or to perpetrate n silly hoax.
about $50 o'clock small box was sent TO
! Dis house through the special delivery
postal service. II was pastcboard box
about ten inches by six, looking something
like valentine box, and was addressed in
small, cramped and apparently disguised
backhand writing, "To the Hon. Chief
Justice Watt No. l455 / Street, n. W.
Washington"
Near the bottom were the words "Im-
portant papers, undescored The thing
inclosed was a glass tube about ten inches
long and of the diameter Of u lead pencil.
-he tube was bent at an angle OF about
tixty degrees, and was fastened to the box
by means Of small pieces of heavy paper
pasted over it. The tube for most OF its
length contained jct-black liquid,
but about one and half inches
from the end was percussion
cap separating the fluid from Il
little more than an inch Of coarse powder,
apparently what is known as Atlas pow
der. At the other end Of the powder was
another percussion cap, and TO this was
attached the wire which was apparently
intended 10 explode the tube. This wire
was joined to a small rubber band fastened
10 one side Of the box, and another wire
ran from the rubber to "hoOk and eve, "
which was held in place by piece Of paper
pasted over il. II the machine was really
what II seemed TO be, the raising Of the lid
would have exploded il. Before IL reached
the chief Justices house, however, the box
was stamped on one side by postOilicc
enploye, and the force with which the
blow was struck in stamping caused the
wire 10 slip through the ''hook and eye
thus scvcring the necessary conncc-
ton. There are circumstances which
lead 20 a suspicion that the whole
thing is n hoax. The person through
whom the matter was brought to the at.
,eniion of the police il a young man who
sells items TO newspaper correspondents,
and who is not, by many, regarded u,
trustworthy. His name is withheld at
the request Of the police TO whom he told
substantially the following story:
About q O'Clock he went 10 the postoflicc
to mail letter, and going to one Of the
desks 10 address Il lac noticed a man put.
ting the address Of Chief Justice Waite on
. -. n. ..,s. Ia. tI.,,.,lt ,,.tlfps, ~ A
at the time, and therefore did not obscry,
the man closely enough to bc able 10 idcn
tiiy him. When on the street, however
the thought came 10 him that there Wa
something suspicious aboSt II, inasmucl
as the chief justice had, on Wcdncs
day, delivered the opinion denying wr
oi error 10 the condemned Chicag,
anarchists. Tie thccupon went 10 ia,
home oi the chief Justice aud inquired o
him II he had received box. The chic
Justice said he had not, and the youni
man then went TO the postoticc and asccr
tanned that the box had bccn'deliyorrd a
G:3O o'clock. lie next informed the cor
respondents Of the Chicago Tribune an'
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette Of the mat
ter and offered To sell them a story abou
II. The correspondents desired 10 make
further investigation, and went 10 th
police station and told the sor
10 Detective Sergeant llollau
berger, who Immediately called ON th
chief Justice, who then acknowledged .,
cciving the box and gave It to the sergeant
The chief justice said he had received th
box while at dinner, and had opened II
butwithout being harmed, the wire whic
was TO have exploded It having been d,
tachcd, as already stated. Mr. Waite di
not attach any importance TO the box, an
said he thought II q sensational hoax. TIL
sergeant took the box TO police hcadquaI
tens, where Il il now held as eyidenc,
Scrgt. Hollanbcrgcr said he had no clcw
the sender Of the box, and that the youn
man was unable to give any description ,
the man whom lac had seen addressing
before mailing II.